MOTS-c
Also called mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c.
MOTS-c has no FDA-approved product. This page cites 2 sources, and the strongest evidence comes from human observational.
- Status
- No FDA-approved product
- Form
- Injection
- Half-life
- Not modeled
- Strongest evidence
- Human observational
- Cited claims
- 2
- Last updated
- November 6, 2026
What the evidence says
Each claim names the kind of study behind it, what it can't tell you, and where it comes from.
Animal studies
MOTS-c treatment prevented insulin resistance in mouse models of aging and high-fat feeding.
Limits: The experiments studied mice, including diet-induced obesity models. They do not establish a treatment effect, safe exposure, or regimen in people.
Human observational
Endogenous MOTS-c levels in muscle and blood rose after exercise in a study of ten healthy young men.
Limits: Researchers measured the body's own peptide during a cycling study. Participants did not receive MOTS-c as treatment, so this is not an injection efficacy trial. CB4211 is a different, engineered analog.
Regulatory status
United States
As of November 6, 2026, MOTS-c has no FDA-approved drug product. FDA's May 11, 2026 evaluation found insufficient human safety and effectiveness information for MOTS-c free base and acetate.
United States
The October 2026 HHS interim policy describes conditional 503A enforcement discretion for MOTS-c acetate in subcutaneous or intramuscular dosage forms. The October 30 notice calls the policy a nonbinding draft. This does not grant FDA approval or establish a validated regimen.